Defroster and orchard heater



- L. A. WIEGEL 3,296,738

DEFROSTER AND ORCHARD HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 10, 1967 Filed May 11, l964 Fig.6

Louis A. W/ege/ INVENTOK Jan. 10, 1967 A. WIEGEL 3,296,738

DEFROSTER AND ORCHARD HEATER Filed May 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

1 as 6 a T 46 /0 H 68 Louis A. W/ege/ 50 9 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,296,738 DEFRGSTER AND ORCHARD HEATER Louis A. Wiegel, Orlando, Fla, assignor of fifty percent to B. L. Johnson, Orlando, Fla., and fifty percent to Carol Mary Wiegel Filed May 11, 1964, Ser. No. 366,288 4 Claims. (Cl. 47-2) means for maintaining the temperature in the orchard or nursery above the frosting points and thereby prevent damage to the trees or shrubbery. Heretofore smoke pots have been employed for thispurpose. However, the use of smoke pots is not entirely satisfactory owing to the relatively small area which is heated by a smoke pot due to lack of adequate currents carrying the heated products thereof throughout the orchard or nursery. A further disadvantage attending the use of smoke pots is the very considerable labor involved in positioning smoke pots throughout an orchard or threatened area and then replenishing the smoke pots from time to time as their fuel is exhausted.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to largely overcome these disadvantages by providing a heating means which shall have a very great radius or area of effective activity and wherein the heated products of combustion may be uniformly distributed over a very large area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which may be supplied with a relatively large quantity of fuel and wherein the supply of fuel may be readily replenished from time to time with a minimum eflFort.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in which the burner supplied with fuel from a stationary tank is caused to rotate throughout 360 degrees continously and thus provide an effective stream of heated air and combustion products over a relatively greater area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall include an improved means for rotatively mounting the the heating unit and an air fan associated therewith for 360 degrees of rotation while continously supplying fuel from the stationary source to the burner of the device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the air fan itself shall by its reaction supply the rotating force for the device and whereby through a mere change in the mounting of the unit upon its revolving support the speed of rotation may be readily varied.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in accordance with the preceding object wherein through a very simple adjustment the heating capacity of the unit may be widely varied as may be necessary.

These together with the other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation showing a preferred form of orchard heater and defroster in accordance with this invention;

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FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1 part of the burner being broken away and shown in vertical central section;

FIGURE 3 is a detail view taken upon an enlarged scale in vertical central section through the rotatable connection of the lower support and the upper revolving member of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a further detail view taken upon an enlarged scale in vertical central section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the components constituting the revolving connection between the base and the heater apparatus.

Referring now especially to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that the orchard heater comprises a vertical support or standard consisting of a lower tubular section or base 10 mounted upon a stand 12 together with an upper tubular portion or section 14. As will be best apparent from FIGURE 3, the base or lower section 10 at its upper end is provided with a pair of journal bearings as at 16 which receive and rotatably support the lower open end of the upper tubular-section 14 therein. In this manner, the entire upper section is capable of rotation about a vertical axis throughout 360 degrees.

Secured to the upper end'of the upper section 14 as by welding 18 is a support shelf or platform or bracket 20 which serves to support the heating and blowing units of the device as set forth hereinafter.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2 it will be observed that there is provided a source of power or motor such as an internal combustion engine 22 whose base or mounting flange 24 is removably and adjustably secured to the support shelf 20 as by fastening bolts 26 extending through cooperating slots or apertures through the flange and shelf. The arrangement is such that the engine may be readily removed from or applied to the shelf and may be adjusted upon the shelf to vary positions at one side of the vertical axis of the sections as shown best in FIGURE 1 for a purpose to be subsequently set forth.

The engine 22 constituting a source of power is connected to and supports an air blower such as the propeller band 28 carried by the drive shaft 30 of the engine. Any conventional type of foraminous guard or shield 32 as shown in FIGURES l and 2 is secured to the engine and encircles and surrounds the fan or blower.

Carried by the guard 32 is a fuel burner 34 of any conventional type and which consists primarily of a sleeve having a closure plate 36 at its inward end with the outer end of the sleeve being open. A fuel supply nozzle 38 is seated in and extends through the closure wall 36 so that fuel may be supplied to the burner unit 34 and may then upon ignition therein be discharged as a stream of highly heated combustion products as indicated at 40 in FIGURE 2. This stream is discharged in a horizontal plane and upon rotation of the device about the vertical axis of the standard the projected stream of combustion products is distributed across the entire horizontal area of the rotating unit so that the heated gases may be discharged in all directions from the device.

An importantfeature of the invention is that the size of the orifice. of the nozzle 38 may be varied in any desired manner to thus vary the capacity or heating ability of the fuel burner as may be desired.

The internal cornbustion'engine is supplied with fuel from any stationary fuel supply such as a tank 42 of bottled gas or other fuel. The conduit indicated generally by the numeral 44 conducts this fuel from the stationary source of supply to the horizontally rotating internal combustion engine 22 and further to the fuel burner 34.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 in conjunction with FIG- URE 3 it will be observed that the conduit 44 includes a stationary lower portion 46 together with a movable upper portion 48. The upper portion extends through or is supported by the guard or shield 32 and is connected to the fuel nozzle 38. The upper portion has an elbow fitting 50 by which it enters and is fixedly secured to the upper standard section 14, being rigidly mounted thereon as by welding 52. In a similar manner, the lower portion 46 extends through the upper end of the lower section or base section and which is secured thereto as by welding 54. Within the upper end of the lower section and below the bearing 16, the stationary portion 46 is provided with an elbow fitting 56 which is up wardly directed. A rotatable coupling indicated generally by the numeral 60 is disposed within the rotatably connect-ed adjacent ends of the upper and lower sections 14 and 10 and serves the dual purposes of connecting the stationary and movable conduit portions 14 and 10.

This rotatable coupling consists of a bushing 62 which is fixedly secured to the lower portion of the upper section 14 as by engagement of the end of the elbow fitting through aligned apertures in the upper section 14 and in the bushing. Received within the bushing 62 is an openended sleeve 64 having an axial bore 66 therethrough. A tubular fitting 68 has its lower end threadedly engaged with the elbow 56 of the stationary conduit portion 46 so that the fitting is rigidly attached to both the sta tionary portion of the conduit and the lower standard section 10. The fitting projects upwardly through the open lower end of the upper section 14 and has a diametrically reduced cylindrical sleeve portion 70 which is received within the sleeve 64 for relative rotation therein. Fluid-tight seals such as the inner O-rings 72, the outer O-rings 74 and interposed washer or plate 76 abut against a seat 78 on a shoulder 80 of the fitting and against a corresponding recessed seat 82 in the adjacent end of the sleeve 64. The same arrangement is provided at both ends of the sleeve, the upper end of the fitting having a diametrically reduced circumferentially extending portion providing a channel 84 within the bore 66 of the sleeve 64. The fitting itself is provided with an axial fuel transmitting passage or bore 86 therethrough whose closed upper end is connected as by lateral ports 88 with the circumferentially extending channel or recess 84. This recess in turn is communicated as by a port 96 in the sleeve which is aligned with the end of the fitting 50 of the movable conduit portion which extends through the bushing 62.

A retaining shelf 92 is secured as by a bolt 94 to the upper end of the fitting 68 and engages the outer O- ring 74 thereof and serves both to clamp the sealing means at the opposite ends of the sleeve into a fluid-tight engagement therewith while preventing relative rotation between the fitting and the sleeve and also serves to secure the fitting to the sleeve and thus locks the upper and lower sections together while permitting relative rotation therebetween.

It will thus be apparent that there has been provided a means serving the dual functions of connecting the two rotatable standard sections together and also connecting the rotatable and stationary conduit portions together so as to supply fuel to the burner despite continuous rotation of the latter.

It will be noted that the axis of rotation of the blower or fan 28 which is the axis of the shaft 30 is offset with respect to the vertical axis of rotation of the standard sections. Consequently, upon operation of the blower, the reaction therefrom will cause a gradual rotation of the upper standard section and the burner, blower and engine carried thereby. Thus, the burner will be caused to project its flames throughout a 360 degree circle thereby uniformly heating the entire adjacent area of the burner. By varying the amount of offset of the excess of the blower from the vertical axis of the sections, it is evident that the speed of rotation of the device can thus be readily adjusted.

As above set forth, the heating capacity of the device can also be adjusted by varying the size of the opening or orifice in the nozzle 38 which supplies the fuel to the burner.

The device is effective to produce an intense source of heat for preventing freezing or frosting of orchards or the like. Yet, by mingling the blast of air from the fan 28 with the stream of combustion products from the burner 34, the heat of the latter is sufficiently diluted in intensity, while the volume of heated gases is sufficiently increased so as to effect a projection of this heat throughout a very wide area. For example, a single unit is capable of satisfactorily heating and protecting approximately one acre of orchard and shrubbery. This is also effective without danger of burning the vegetation of trees since the temperature rapidly decreases from a few feet from the burner itself.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A space and orchard heater comprising a standard including hollow lower and upper sections, bearings within the upper ends of said lower section journalin-g the lower end of the upper section, a support shelf on the upper end of said upper section, a fuel burner supported by said support shelf and positioned for directing combustion products in a horizontal plane outwardly from the vertical axis of rotation of said section, an air blower supported upon said support shelf and positioned to direct air to said burner and a mingled stream of heated air and combustion products radially from said axis of rotation, said air blower having the axis of its air stream positioned to one side of said vertical axis whereby to cause rotation of said upper section about said vertical axis, a source of power mounted upon said support shelf and carrying said burner and blower, said source of power being an internal combustion engine, a stationary source of fuel for said engine, a conduit connecting said source of fuel to said engine, said conduit having a movable portion entering said upper section and a station ary portion entering said lower section and a rotatable joint within said standard sections connecting said movable and stationary portions, said rotatable joint comprising means preventing separation of said upper and lower sections, a bushing fixed in the lower end of said upper section, a sleeve received in said bushing, a tubular fitting rotatably received in said sleeve, passage means in the fitting, sleeve and bushing delivering fuel from said stationary portion to said movable portion, a closure cap for the upper end of said sleeve and fixed to said fitting.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a guard surrounding said air blower and secured to and carried by said engine and secured to and supporting said burner.

3. A space and orchard heater comprising a standard including hollow lower and upper sections, bearings within the upper ends of said lower section journaling the lower end of the upper section, a support shelf on the upper end of said upper section, a fuel burner supported by said support shelf and positioned for directing combustion products in a horizontal plane outwardly from the vertical axis of rotation of said section, an air blower supported upon said support shelf and positioned to direct air to said burner and a mingled stream of heated air and combustion products radially from said axis of rotation, said air blower having the axis of its air stream positioned to one side of said vertical axis whereby to cause rotation of said upper section about said vertical axis, an internal combustion engine mounted upon said support shelf and connected to and supporting said blower, a conduit connecting a source of fuel to said engine, said conduit including a movable upper portion connected to said burner and rotatable with the latter and a stationary lower portion connected to said fuel source, said movable and stationary portions extending into the interior of said standard upper and lower sections, and a rotatable joint in said standard connecting said conduit portions, said rotatable joint consisting of a bushing fixed in said upper section and a sleeve within said bushing, said movable portion communicating with the interior of said sleeve, a fitting rotatably received in said sleeve and fixedly carried by said lower section and said stationary portion, a port in said fitting establishing communication between said stationary portion and said interior of said sleeve, a combined closure means for said sleeve and retaining means securing said fitting and bushing together.

4. A space heater comprising, a stationary standard, a support rotatably mounted by the standard about a vertical axis, a drive motor mounted on the support, a blower connected to the motor, a guard mounted by the motor in enclosing relation to the blower, a burner mounted on the guard, a source of fuel connected to the standard, fuel supply means mounted by the support and connected to the burner, and leakage preventing joint means enclosed by the standard for establishing fluid communication between the source of fuel and the supply means, said joint means including a conduit section connected to the support and extending into the standard, bearing means rotatably supporting the section within the standard, a coupling connecting the fuel supply means to the section, a fitting connected to the source of fuel and rotatably received within the section, said fitting having a port establishing fluid communication between the source of fuel and the section, closure means sealing the fitting within the section and retaining means holding the fitting in assembled relation to the sealing means and the section.

FOREIGN PATENTS 217,767 10/1961 Austria.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

R. E. BAGWILL, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A SPACE HEATER COMPRISING, A STATIONARY STANDARD, A SUPPORT ROTATABLY MOUNTED BY THE STANDARD ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A DRIVE MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT, A BLOWER CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR, A GUARD MOUNTED BY THE MOTOR IN ENCLOSING RELATION TO THE BLOWER, A BURNER MOUNTED ON THE GUARD, A SOURCE OF FUEL CONNECTED TO THE STANDARD, FUEL SUPPLY MEANS MOUNTED BY THE SUPPORT AND CONNECTED TO THE BURNER, AND LEAKAGE PREVENTING JOINT MEANS ENCLOSED BY THE STANDARD FOR ESTABLISHING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SOURCE OF FUEL AND THE SUPPLY MEANS, SAID JOINT MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUIT SECTION CONNECTED TO THE SUPPORT AND EXTENDING INTO THE STANDARD, BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING THE SECTION WITHIN THE STANDARD, A COUPLING CONNECTING THE FUEL SUPPLY MEANS TO THE SECTION, A FITTING CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF FUEL AND ROTATABLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE SECTION, SAID FITTING HAVING A PORT ESTABLISHING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SOURCE OF FUEL AND THE SECTION, CLOSURE MEANS SEALING THE FITTING WITHIN THE SECTION AND RETAINING MEANS HOLDING THE FITTING IN ASSEMBLED RELATION TO THE SEALING MEANS AND THE SECTION. 